Coal chute



May 13 1924.

J. MCMINN COAL HUTE original Filed July 1a um s sheets-sheen 1 a ww' IM, M wwf im@ May 13 1924.

E* M CMIN N COAL CHUTE original i'ed July 1a 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [fn/Hier emma J. E. MGMINN COAL CHUTE Original Filed July 18 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Reissuetl May413, 1924.

UNITED STATES kPATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. MCMINN, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO PEERLESS MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KENTUCKY.

COAL CHUTE.

Original No. 1,438,124, dated December 5. 1922, Serial No. 575,876, led July 18, 1922. `Application for` l reissue led October 5, 1923. Serial No. 666,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. MCMINN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at chutes for coal or other fuel, or the like, iny

which it is intended to provide a convenient and unobstrusive, if not ornamental, arrangement which will remain closed when not in use; and at the same time will aii'ord more or less light to the coal cellar or fuel bin when in the closed position, but which may be readily opened for use and con veniently restored to the initial closed position when desired.

My invention will be more fully understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which Fig. 1 is a front view of the device as seen from the exterior of the building in which it is used; Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the device as detached; Fig. 3 is a rear view, on a larger scale, showing the interior of the device, parts being broken away; and Fig. 4 sliows a section along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows, but on a larger scale than in said figure.

A represents the frame adapted to be mounted in an opening in the wal] of a building, as above the pavement or in any other convenient location. This frame may be mounted in the masonry of the building, or secured to the wooden framework ofthe building in any convenient .way. The method of mounting, not being a part of my invention, is not shown herein.

Attached to the rear of this `frame A isA a hood B, preferably made of sheet metal, and having an inclined lower bottom por-v tion B to direct the fuel downwards and inwards." This hood may be attachedto the frame in any convenient way, as by the bolts C.

D represents a door frame, in which a panel D', `preferably made of heavy glass chute.

with wire embedded therein, is secured in any convenient way as by means of thel clamps E;y The edges of this door frame engage the anged portions a and a of the main frame A, as shown in Fig. 4, when the door is in the closed position indicated in full lines in said figure. The door Trame D is provided at each side with lugs d to which the flange f of the arm F is secured, as by means of the bolts d. There are two of these armsF, one on each side of the hood B, and each of these arms carries a counterweight F so adjusted as to automatically lift the door or swing it to the open position, as shown indotted lines in Fig. 4, when the latch is released as will be hereinafter described.

These arms F are pivoted, as at G, to the hood The door is normally held in the closed position by means vof the sliding catch I, having its nose z' projecting up into the notch a formed in the lug Ail in the upper portion' ofthe main frame A, adjacent to vwhich notch the lug is provided with a wedge face a2, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This catch is normally held inthe closed position by means of the toe h of the lever H, which is pivoted, as at h", to the lug D2 forming part of the door frame, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4.

To the longer arm of this lever H the cord or chain J is attached. By pulling up on this chain, as from a floor above, the catch I is pulled down and the door frame is. released, and the said doorframe carrying the door with it is automatically swung up into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, where the glass pane will be entirely masked in the upper portionl of the hood and will not be injured by the dumping of coal or other solid material into the In order to provide anautomatic extension of the coal chute which will project out beyond the face of the door, opening, when the door is lifted, and which will be swung back in the position behind the door, whenthe door is closed, I provide an auxiliary chute N, which is provided at its upper andouter projecting 'end with a remforcing strap n, pivotally connected, as at m,

to the link M, which link is pivoted, as at m', to the counterweight F. There are two of these links M, one on each ofthe hood, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. The auxiliary chute is pivoted at points nearly o posite the pivot m, asl by means of the bo :sl O,y to the lugs A3 projecting 1n- Ward from the main frame A, as shown 1n Figs. 3 and 4. When the door is closed this auxiliary chute will be swung up tothe position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, and; when the door is opened the chute will'be swung down to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, andy in such position will project beyond the edge of the door opening and will serve as an inclined chute to direct the fuel or other solid material into the hood B, which -fuel will slide, by its own weight, down the inclined? bottom B of the'hood B.

The operation of the device is as follows: The apparatus being mounted in the side of a house in any convenient way, and the doo-r being closed, and the parts being otherwise in the position shownvin Fig. 4, if it is l v'desired to open the'door lift on the chain J.

This will cause the toe h to draw down the catch I, disengaging the nose z' of said catch from the notch" a, and the connterweight F1 will then swing the door frame and door upwards, causing these to assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. If the auxiliary chute, is attached, this auxiliary chute will be atthe same time rocked about its pivot Ofuntil, it and its supporting links assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, at which time the bottom fm, of the auxiliar chute will project outwards beyond the oor opening and will facilitate the supply of fuel to the chu-te.

In order to restore the parts to the initial position, pressing down on the links M near their pivots m, will swing the counterweight F backwards. and simultaneously lifting up on the outer edge of the bottom ofthe auxiliary chute will facilitate the restoring of the parts to the position shown in full, lines in Fig. 4. When the nose 'i of the catch I engages the wedge face (L2` of the lug A this catch will be pressed backwards until the vnose z' registers with the notch vat'. when the weight of the lever H and the chain J will restore the catch to the initial position, and the parts will be automatically locked in the position shownl in full lines in Fig. 4.

While I prefer to providethe auxiliary chute, as hereinbefore described. the device,

sired., Furthermore,v the device may, beV

will be seen that the herein described,A

made of a neat exterior and is not objectionably conspicuous in any way, or it may lglass is preferabe because it transmits light.

It will be obvious that various other modifications might be made in the herein described construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention; and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A chute for coal or the like comprising a rectangular main frame adapted to be attached to the side of a building and provided with a central opening, a rectangular hood attached to the back of said frame and provided with a downwardly inclined bottom, arms provided with counterweightspivoted to said hood, a door frame carried by said arms and adapted to close` said rectangular opening and to be normally swung open by said counter-Weights, and a latch' normally locking said door frame and said main frame, .with means for releasing said latch when desired.

2. A chute for coal orJLhe like comprising a rectangular main frame adapted to be attached to the side of a building and provided with a central opening, a rectangular hood attached to the back of said frameand provided with a downwardly inclined, bottom,` arms provided with counterweights pivoted to said hood. a door frame carried by said arms and provided with a glass panel therein adapted to close said rectangular opening and to he normally swung to the raised and open position by said counterweights, and a latch normally locking said door frame to said main frame, with means for releasing said latch when desired.

3. A chute for coal or the like comprising a rectangular main frame adapted to be attached to the side of a building and provided with a central opening. aA rectangular hood attached to the back of said frame and provided with a downwardly inclined bottom, arms provided with counterweights pivoted` to said hood, a door frame carried by said arms and adapted to close said rectangular opening and to be, normally swung open by said counterweights, a latch automatically locking said door frame to 'said main frame, and means operable from-a distance forreleasing said latch when desired.

4. A chute for coalor the like comprising a rectangular main frame adapted to be attached t0 the side of a building and provided with a central opening, a rectangular hood attached to the back of said frame and provided with a downwardly inclined bottom, arms provided with counterweights pivoted to said hood, a door frame carried by said arms and adapted to close said rectangular opening and to be normally swung open by said counterweights, a latch normally locking said door frame t0 said main frame, with means for releasing said latch when desired, an auxiliary chute pivoted to said main frame, and means automatically operated-by said counterweights for moving said chute into said `opening when the door frame is raised.

5. A chute for coal or the like comprising a rectangular main frame adapted to be attached to the side of a building and provided with a central opening, a rectangular lhood attached to the back of said frame and mally locking said door frame to said main frame. means for releasing said latch when desired, an auxiliary chute pivoted to said main frame, and links connecting said aux-` iliary chute to said counterweights.

6.4A chute for coal or the like comprising a rectangular main frame adapted to be attached to the Side of a buildingand provided with a central opening, a rectangular hood attached to the back of said frame and provided with a downwardly inclined bottom, arms provided with counterweights pivoted to said hood, a door frame carried by said arms and adapted t0 close said rectangular opening and to be normally swung open by said counterweights, a latch automatically locking said door frame to said main frame, means operable from a distance for releasing said latch when desired, an auxiliary chute pivoted to said main frame, and links connecting said auxiliary chute to said counterweights.

7. A chute for coal or the like comprising a rectangular main frame adapted to be attached to the side of a building and provided with a central opening, a rectangular hood attached to the back of said frame and provided with a downwardly inclined bottom. oppositely disposed arms provided with counterweights pivoted to said hood, a door frame rigidly connected to said arms and adapted to close said rectangular opening and to be normally swung open by said counterweights, and means for holding said door frame in the closed position.

8. A chute for coal or the like comprising a rectangular main frame adapted to be attached to the side of a building and provided with a central opening, a rectangular hood attached to the back of said frame and provided with a downwardly inclined bottom, oppositely disposed arms provided with counterweights pivoted to said hood, a door frame rigidly connected to said arms and provided with a glass panel therein adapted to close said rectangular opening and to be normally swung to the raised and open position by saidcoun- .terweights, and means for holding said door frame in the closed position.

9. A chute for coal or the like comprising a main frame adapted to be attached to the side of a building and provided with a central opening. a hood attached to the back of said frame and provided with a downwardly inclined bottom, oppositely disposed arms provided with counterweights pivoted to said hood, a door frame rigidly connected to said arms and adapted to close Said openingand to be normally swung open by said counterweights, a latch automatically locking said door frame to said main frame, and means operable from a distance for releasing said latch when desired.

10. A chute for coal or the like comprising a rectangular main frame adapted to be attached to the side of a building and provided with a central opening, a rectangular hood attached to the back of said frameand provided with a downwardly inclined bottom, oppositely disposed arms provided with counterweights pivoted to said hood, adoor frame rigidly connected to said arms and adapted to close said rectangular opening and to be normally swung open by said counterweights, an auxiliary chute pivoted to said main frame, and` means automatically operated by said counterweights for moving said chute into said opening when the door frame is raised.

1l. A chute for coal or the 'like comprising a main frame adapted to be attached to the side of a building and provided with a central opening, a hood attached to the bac-k of said frame and provided with a downwardly inclined bottom, oppositely disposed arms provided with counterweights pivoted to said hood, a door frame rigidly connected to said arms and adapted to close said opening and to be normally swung open by said counterweiglits, a latch normally locking said door frame to said main frame. means for releasing said latch when desired, an auxiliary chute pivoted to said main frame, and links connecting said auX- iliary chute to said counterweights.

l2. A chute for coal or the like comprising a rectangular main frame adapted to be attached' to the side of a building and provided with a. central opening, a rectangular hoodyattachedi tothe back of said frame and provided with a downwardly inclined bottom, oppositely disposed arms provided with countervseights piyoted; to said. hood, a door frame rigidly connected to said arms and adapted to close said rectangular opening and to be normally swung open by said'- -counter-weights, a latch automatically locking said, door frame to said main frame, means operable 'from a distance for releasing said latch when desired, an auxiliary chute` pivoted to said main frame, and links con.-

lwnectingsaid auxiliary chute tosaidz counterthe front of the chute, andoperative con nections between the auxiliary chute and closure whereby the auxiliary chute is automatically projected from the front of the first mentioned-=clnlte when, the closure is, wmoved to open positlon, and is likewlse retracted into saidlchute when the closure is moved to closed position. l

14J In a device of the character set forth, in combination, a chute, a closure, `means pivotally supporting the closure so that it may swing from closed position wherein itl closes the mouth ofthe chute to openposition Within the chute, an auxiliary chute pivoted Within the former chute so that it may rotate from a position therewithin to ya position wherein it projects from the front of said chute, and ylink connections between the auxiliary chute and thedoorsupporting means whereby when the doory is moved from. closed; to open position., the auxiliary chute isautomaticalily projected: through the front of the first mentioned chute.

15. Ln a devicel of :the character set forth, in. combination, a chute, a closure, arms pivoted within the chute and whereby .the closure is carried, an auxiliary chute pivot allysupported within the former `chuteso as to swingfrom a position therewithin to a position wherein it projects through the mouth of said former chute, a link connections between the auxiliary chute and the aforesaid arms, means tending to` lrotate the arms upon their pivots in a direction to swing the ,closure from closed position wherein it extends across the mouth" of the chute to open position within the chute, and latch mechanism for normally retaining the door in closed? position. i

16. In a device of thev character set forth, in combination, a chute, a closure for the chute, van auxiliary chute arranged to project from the former chute when the closure is open, means vtending to `open the closure and project the auxiliary chute, `a latch forv restraining said means, and means for releasing the latch. i

17. In a device of thecharacter set forth, in combination. wohnte, a closure arranged, when in closed position, to close the mouth of the chute, means pivotally supporting the closure on an axis situar-ed a material dis,- tance inwardly from the .mouth of theschute and .whereon the closure isf-adapted to swing through an orbital path yto open position Within thechute, meansfor locking :the

closure in closed position, and means for automatically moving the closure .to open position When the aforesaid locking means is released.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN E. MCMINN. 

